Shropshire councillor Andy Boddington has expressed his concerns for the future of the 435 Ludlow to Shrewsbury bus service following the partial closure of the A49.

"On Monday, November 11, a truck caused serious damage to the Three Fishes pub and the house next to the Hong Kong City takeaway in Bayston Hill.

"Fortunately, the injuries were minor. But as a consequence of the damage, the A49, which is part of the Primary Route Network, has been reduced to a single lane with lights control.

“This closure is causing serious delays to traffic and serious havoc with bus services. I am very concerned about the 435 Ludlow to Shrewsbury service. Since the lane closure began, there have been delays of at least 30 minutes each way. The delays are much worse in peak periods. As a result, some runs have been cancelled.

“The 435 Ludlow Shrewsbury bus is a popular service ... one of the few rural bus routes in Shropshire not subsidised by Shropshire Council.

“The cancellations and delays to the service are causing problems for passengers in the towns, villages and hamlets along the route. They do not know if and when the bus is coming."

"Currently, National Highways has notified highways authorities that the lane closure will be in place until May 9 2025.

“A closure of a lane on the A49 for six months with all the delays that will cause is unacceptable. It is essential that the buildings are made safe to National Highways' satisfaction in a matter of days, not months.

“The 435 Ludlow Shrewsbury service is one of the few rural bus routes in Shropshire which does not receive a direct subsidy from Shropshire Council. Without passengers with their fares and passes, it will not be commercially viable. That could mean the end of popular bus service.

“I fear that if we wait for insurers to act to make the buildings safe to National Highways’ satisfaction, it could be weeks if not months. I have asked Shropshire Council officers if there is anything they can do to ensure the buildings are made safe at the earliest opportunity and get the lane closure lifted.”